Cotton roll holder

ABSTRACT

A cotton roll holder includes a support for a labial cotton roll and a lingual cotton roll. The labial support includes a single wire skewer while the lingual support includes a single wire having only one eye portion engaging a cotton roll intermediate its opposite ends. An alternate cotton roll holder supports a pair of oppositely disposed buccal cotton rolls and a lingual cotton roll. A U-shaped portion has laterally extending arches at the outer ends of its legs and return portions are provided on the inner ends of the arches. Skewers are provided on the return portions to hold the lingual cotton roll. An eye on the end of one of the return portions engages the lingual cotton roll intermediate its ends. Skewers on each of the legs of the Ushaped portion hold the oppositely disposed buccal cotton rolls. Each of the cotton roll holders are formed from wire material which may be deformed to selectively position the cotton rolls as desired.

United States Patent 1 Sturdivant 1 COTTON ROLL HOLDER [76] Inventor: Jack E.Sturdivant,0akwood Road, Route No. 4, Ames, Iowa 50010 [22] Filed: Dec. 17, 1971 [2]] Appl. No.: 209,263

[52] US. Cl. 32/35 [51] Int. Cl. A6lc 5/12 [58] Field of Search 32/35 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,742,080 12/1929 Jones 32/35 2,914,852 12/1959 Fridge, Sr. 32/35 Primary Examiner-Robert Peshock AttorneyZarley, McKee & Thomte June 19, 1973 [57] ABSTRACT A cotton roll ho1der includes a support for a labial cotton roll and a lingual cotton roll. The labial support includes a single wire skewer while the lingual support includes a single wire having only one eye portion engaging a cotton roll intermediate its opposite ends. An alternate cotton roll holder supports a pair of 0pp0- sitely disposed buccal cotton rolls and a lingual cotton roll. A U-shaped portion has laterally extending arches at the outer ends of its legs and return portions are provided on the inner ends of the arches. Skewers are provided on the return portions to hold the lingual cotton roll. An eye on the end of one of the return portions engages the lingual cotton roll intermediate its ends. Skewers on each of the legs of the U-shaped portion hold the oppositely disposed buccal cotton rolls. Each of the cotton roll holders are formed from wire material which may be deformed to selectively position the cotton rolls as desired.

8 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures COTTON ROLL HOLDER The cotton roll holders of this invention isolate the lower anterior teeth from the lips, cheeks and tongue so that the teeth may be maintained in a dry condition while dental work is being performed. The cotton roll holders are formed from wire material and occupy a minimum amount of space. Also, the wire material makes it possible to position the cotton rolls as desired to conform to the curvature of the persons mouth. The cotton rolls may be readily attached and removed from the cotton roll holders. In each embodiment a single continuous wire is used. The design of the cotton roll holders leave adequate space for a saliva ejector. The cotton roll support is held to a persons mouth by a metal clamp contoured for the wearers comfort.

This invention consists in the construction, arrangements and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying.

drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a labial and lingual cotton roll holder.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along line 2 2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the cotton roll holder.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view thereof.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view taken along line 5 5 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the cotton roll holder and cotton rolls.

FIG. 7 is an alternate embodiment of a cotton roll holder for buccal and lingual cotton rolls.

FIG. 8 is a perspective of the cotton roll holder of FIG. 7 showing the cotton rolls in dash lines.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view thereof; and

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view thereof.

The labial and lingual cotton holder of FIG. 1 is referred to generally by the reference numeral 10 and includes a jaw clamp 12 having a spoon-shaped chin engaging plate member 14. An upstanding plate element 16 extends through a slot 18 in the handle 20 of the spoon member 14 whereby the spoon member 14 is selectively vertically adjustable along the length of the vertical member 16.

A laterally outwardly extending plate arm 22 is provided on the upper end of the vertical member 16. A C-shaped portion 24 interconnects the arm 22 and the vertical member 16.

A continuous wire 30 extends through the outer end 32 of the arm 22 to hold the labial cotton roll 34 and the lingual cotton roll 36 on opposite sides of the lower incisor teeth 38. The wire portion 40 supporting the lingual roll 36 includes an upwardly extending portion 42 which merges into a laterally inwardly extending portion 44 which terminates in an eye 46 engaging the cotton roll 36 intermediate its opposite ends. It is thus seen that the wire portion 40 bridges the front lower teeth at the side by the arm 22 extending laterally outwardly and the wire portion 40 extending laterally inwardly to engage the lingual cotton roll intermediate its ends. The ends of the cotton roll conform naturally to the curvature of the lower jaw, as seen in FIG. 2. The incisor teeth are fully exposed for dental work.

The continuous wire includes a lower portion 50 for supporting the labial cotton roll 34. The wire portion 50 includes a portion 51 extending downwardly from the outer end 32 of the arm 22 and then extends laterally inwardly below the arm 22, as seen in FIG. 3. The free end 52 of the wire portion 50 functions as a skewer. It is seen that the wire portions and may be bent as desired to place the cotton rolls 34 and 36 as needed.

The cotton roll holder of FIGS. 7 10, referred to generally in FIG. 8 by the reference numeral 56, holds a pair of oppositely disposed buccal cotton rolls 58 and 60 and a lingual cotton roll 62. The chin clamp 12 includes a forwardly extending horizontal plate portion 64 which engages a wire U-shaped element 66 on its base. The U-shaped wire 66 includes oppositely disposed legs 68 and 70 which terminate in laterally inwardly extending arches 72 and 74 which in turn terminate in return wire portions 76 and 78 which extend toward the base of the U-shaped continuous wire 66.

Skewers 80 and 82 are connected on the lower side of the return portions 76 and 78 adjacent the arches 72 and 74 and extend toward the base of the U-shaped portion 66 and engage opposite ends of the lingual cotton roll 62, as best seen in FIG. 8. The return portion 76 includes at its free end an eye portion 84 which engages the center of the lingual cotton roll 62. The eye 84 is laterally offset from the return wire portion 76 by a horizontal laterally extending portion 86.

The buccal cotton rolls 58 and 60 are held by single skewers 88 and 90 on the lower sides of the oppositely disposed legs 68 an 70 of the U-shaped wire 66. The cotton rolls are clamped in position. between the skewers 88 and 90 and the leg portion 68 and 70. The skewers 88 and 90 are positioned at the outer ends of the legs 68 and 70 of the U-shaped portion and extend parallel thereto towards the adjacent laterally extending arches 72 and 74.

Thus it is seen that from FIG. 7 the teeth of the lower jaw are fully exposed in spite of the presence of a cotton roll holder for two oppositely disposed buccal cotton rolls and a lingual cotton roll. The wire structure includes wire portions which may be readily deformed to position the cotton rolls against the jaw of the patient. The unique way in which the lingual cotton roll is held at its center by the eye 84 and on its ends by the skewers 80 and and 82 allows the cotton roll 62 to be held stably but yet conform to the jaw configuration as best seen in FIG. 7.

Use of the labial and lingual lower anterior cotton roll holder and the buccal and lingual lower anterior cotton roll holder or this invention allows the dentist flexibility in isolating the lower anterior teeth for maximum dental work while maintaining these teeth in a dry condition.

I claim:

1. A lower anterior cotton roll holder comprising, an upper cotton roll supporting position, a lower chin clamping portion, anintermediate connecting portion,

said upper cotton roll supporting portion including cotton roll supports for a labial COttOI'll roll and a lingual cotton roll, said supporting portion extending laterally outwardly and forwardly, said cotton roll support for said labial cotton roll including a single wire skewer extending from the outer free end of said supporting portion laterally inwardly under said supporting portion and said cotton roll support for said lingual cotton roll extending from the outer free end of said supporting portion forwardly and laterally inwardly and including a single wire having only one eye portion positioned to 3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said laterally out wardly and forwardly extending portion is formed of flat metal.

4. A lower anterior cotton roll holder comprising, an upper cotton roll supporting portion, a lower chin clamping portion, an intermediate connecting portion, said upper cotton roll supporting portion including cotton roll supports for a pair of oppositely disposed buccal cotton rolls and a lingual cotton roll, said upper cotton roll supporting portion having a U-shaped portion with laterally extending arches at the outer ends of the legs of the U-shaped portion, return portions are provided on the inner ends of said arches and extend towards the base of said U-shaped portion, means on each leg of said U-shaped portion for holding said oppositely disposed buccal cotton rolls, and means on each of said return portions for holding said lingual cotton roll.

5. The structure of claim 4 wherein said means for holding said buccal cotton rolls include a skewer on each leg of said U-shaped portion.

6. The structure of claim 5 wherein said skewers are further defined as being positioned at the outer ends of said legs of said U-shaped portion and extending parallel thereto towards the adjacent laterally extending arch.

7. The structure of claim 4 wherein said U-shaped portion, laterally extending arches, and return portions are formed of deformable wire material.

8. The structure of claim 7 wherein said means on each of said return portions includes a skewer extending towards the base of said U-shaped portion and an eye portion on the free end of one of said return portions positioned to engage the center of a lingual cotton roll with said skewers on said return portions positioned to engage the opposite ends of a lingual cotton roll. 

1. A lower anterior cotton roll holder comprising, an upper cotton roll supporting position, a lower chin clamping portion, an intermediate connecting portion, said upper cotton roll supporting portion including cotton roll supports for a labial cotton roll and a lingual cotton roll, said supporting portion extending laterally outwardly and forwardly, said cotton roll support for said labial cotton roll including a single wire skewer extending from the outer free end of said supporting portion laterally inwardly under said supporting portion and said cotton roll support for said lingual cotton roll extending from the outer free end of sAid supporting portion forwardly and laterally inwardly and including a single wire having only one eye portion positioned to embrace the lingual cotton roll intermediate its opposite ends.
 2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said wire skewer and said wire having said one eye portion are deformable to selectively position said labial and lingual cotton rolls.
 3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said laterally outwardly and forwardly extending portion is formed of flat metal.
 4. A lower anterior cotton roll holder comprising, an upper cotton roll supporting portion, a lower chin clamping portion, an intermediate connecting portion, said upper cotton roll supporting portion including cotton roll supports for a pair of oppositely disposed buccal cotton rolls and a lingual cotton roll, said upper cotton roll supporting portion having a U-shaped portion with laterally extending arches at the outer ends of the legs of the U-shaped portion, return portions are provided on the inner ends of said arches and extend towards the base of said U-shaped portion, means on each leg of said U-shaped portion for holding said oppositely disposed buccal cotton rolls, and means on each of said return portions for holding said lingual cotton roll.
 5. The structure of claim 4 wherein said means for holding said buccal cotton rolls include a skewer on each leg of said U-shaped portion.
 6. The structure of claim 5 wherein said skewers are further defined as being positioned at the outer ends of said legs of said U-shaped portion and extending parallel thereto towards the adjacent laterally extending arch.
 7. The structure of claim 4 wherein said U-shaped portion, laterally extending arches, and return portions are formed of deformable wire material.
 8. The structure of claim 7 wherein said means on each of said return portions includes a skewer extending towards the base of said U-shaped portion and an eye portion on the free end of one of said return portions positioned to engage the center of a lingual cotton roll with said skewers on said return portions positioned to engage the opposite ends of a lingual cotton roll. 